So, seeming as tomorrow is the end of the year, I figured that I would take some of this time to give this year's recommendations. I have discovered a lot of new music this year, and I feel like sharing with you, the best of it. So, let's begin, shall we?

The Blood Brothers - If you've talked to me at all lately, you've heard me talk about the Blood Brothers, probably quite a bit. I discovered them back in October during this year's Coheed show. At first, I didn't know what to think. I really didn't have an opinion until I got home and looked into some of their studio recordings, and I fell in love. They are a five piece band from Seattle, that have been known to have redefined Hardcore over the past 6 years through their 5 albums. The have a drummer, one guitarist, a bassist/keyboardist, and two singers, one of which also plays keys. They are a bit of an acquired taste. If you don't like hard music and loud screams, they're not for you. Plus, some people my find the singer/keys guy a bit hard to listen to. My best way to describe him: It's like a group of mad scientists got together with a squirrel and said "Hey, I've got an idea. Let's piss of this squirrel, and give him these lyrics, and make him sing!". That really sums him up. But, if you don't mind the singer and you want to hear some very interesting hardcore music, definitely look into them.
Recommended Tracks: Trash Flavored Trash, Peacock Skeleton With Crooked Fingers

http://www.purevolume.com/bloodbrothers

Panic! At The Disco - A recent addiction of mine. They come from Los Vegas, which might explain their sound a bit. They sound like they were made for a very dance friendly show room kind of place. Their use of electronic music mixed with indie and emo-esque styles makes them very different. Not incredible musicians, but the general sound and lyrics make up for it. The lyrics, in my opinion, REALLY make up for it. They even have good group participation lines ("When I say shotgun, you say wedding. Shotgun. Wedding. Shotgun. Wedding"). Like I said, very dancable stuff. Makes you want to shake your *** to know end. Again, the singing is something not many people can deal with. He uses great vocal rhythms, but not many people like the tone of his voice.
Recommended Tracks: Time To Dance, I Write Sins Not Tragedies

http://www.purevolume.com/panicatthedisco

Receiving End Of Sirens - Again, a very recent addition to my collection. I'm not sure who to relate them too. The musicianship is better than most, but not insanely great. They are also a five piece band consisting of a drummer, a bassist/singer, and three guitarists, two of whom also sing. The guitars and three vocal sections? Trust me, it adds a nice touch to it. All singers have equal time and they use a lot of laying one singer's lines on top of another's. They use a bit of computer generated effect which are also really nice. The lyrics, once again, are incredible, and do not follow usual topics. I recommend this band to anybody and everybody, to put it simply. I think they're good for many things.
Recommended Tracks: Planning A Prison Break, The Evidence

http://www.purevolume.com/thereceivingendofsirens

Dredg – Band number two from the Coheed show this year. They really amazed me. I saw them as this year’s response to 3 from last year’s show. They did new and interesting things and had a new style to them. Four piece band. Drums/piano, guitar, bass, and vocals/steel slide guitar/trumpet. As the other, fantastic lyrics (as you can probably tell, lyrics are important to me). Plus, they did one of the most skillful things I have ever seen at a show. Like I said, their drummer also played piano, but what I didn’t say until now, is that he did them at the same time. Think about it. Both of your feet are trying to do one pattern, your right hand is doing another pattern on the drum, and your left hand has each individual finger doing a whole different pattern on the piano. Now that, my friends, take an insane amount of skill. The vocals in this band are not an aquired taste. They’re very easy to deal with. They have a mysterious sound, so I can’t relate them to anyone or any genre of music. All I can say is that you should listen to them too.
Recommended Tracks: Ode To The Sun, Bug Eyes, Jamais Vu.

http://www.purevolume.com/dredg

The Academy Is… - Ok, if you’re not a fan of anything that seems Emo at all, avoid them. I, however, love them. They are what made me realize that I actually like the combination of Indie and Emo. The music isn’t really hard like most of what I have been used to. No screaming, no overly distorted guitars, and nothing that’s too fast paced. It’s fairly calm and laid back, but I can still really enjoy it. As before, I enjoy the lyrics, butt they are definitely Emo style lyrics (“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t need you, cause I wouldn’t believe you if you said the same to me”). Anyways, if you’re not in the mood to break **** but you’re not in the mood to feel WAY too relaxed, they are a good band. I’ve heard a few complaints about the vocals, but I don’t think they’re too hard to deal with.
Recommended Tracks: Skeptics And True Believers, Slow Down

http://www.purevolume.com/theacademyis

Reggie And The Full Effect – Oh dear sweet Reggie, how I love you so. Why? Maybe cause you’re one guy and not a full band. Or maybe it’s because you’re name isn’t even Reggie, but James instead. Or maybe, it also has to do with the fact that you write kick *** music. I think that’s the one. Reggie has this ability to write many kinds of songs. There are heavy songs, and there are soft songs. There are happy/funny songs, and there are depressing songs. There are joke songs, and there are serious songs. Unlike the others, he’s not an amazing lyricist. His lines are pretty simplistic, but it gets his point across. Like I said some of his songs are serious (Get Well Soon) and some of his songs are just so utterly ridiculous that you almost think it’s another person (Deathnotronic). One way or another, Reggie is a safe bet on many different levels. It’s a mixture of hard rock, with occasional Emo and maybe Metal influence tossed in here and there. Of course he uses drums, guitars, bass, but he also throws in a nice synth, most of the time. His voice is also very easy to take. It’s not really high, but it’s quite raspy. I can’t wait to see him in February.
Recommended Tracks: Get Well Soon, The **** Stops Here, Take Me Home Please, Deathnotronic.

http://www.purevolume.com/reggieandthefulleffect

I think that concludes this for now. Should I think of anyone else, I will make another post at another time in the near future. Until then, Happy New Year, and happy listenings!

The Musician

12-31-2005, 02:18 AM

I'll look into Reggie, sounds promising. :lol: Nice list.

TMA

12-31-2005, 03:00 AM

By all means, do so. Great stuff. :thumb:

Gnarmageddon

12-31-2005, 07:45 AM

Nice job man. Looks like you put a lot of work into that.

I've been meaning to check out TREOS for a while, but neve have. I need to.

And I'll edit PV/Myspace links into each thing so people can listen. Hope you don't mind.

DepthsOfDreams555

12-31-2005, 09:07 AM

When I saw The Blood Brothers live I didn't like them at all but now I have acquired a taste for them and I really enjoy their music.

Firecracker

12-31-2005, 10:44 AM

Someone copied Med. :p
Tis good.
TAI & P!ATD <3

cbmartinez

12-31-2005, 04:52 PM

Blood Brothers used to be amazing.

everywhere,allthetime

12-31-2005, 11:39 PM

Acdemy Is .... is one of the best things in pop punk this year

DJ Ducksauce

01-01-2006, 12:30 AM

Acdemy Is .... is one of the best things in pop punk this year
Agreed.

Nice job Brent. I'll look into some of these bands when the highspeed internet comes in.

TMA

01-01-2006, 12:47 AM

Agreed.

Nice job Brent. I'll look into some of these bands when the highspeed internet comes in.
Thanks, Justin. You really should.

NEW ADDITION TO LIST!!!

Bleed The Dream - Once a four piece band... until their drumm sadly died of Lukemia early this year. He had discovered the illness around the same time last year, and then caught an infection that he knew he couldn't beat. So as one last great thing he could do with his life, he got out of his bed in the Hospital and recorded one last album... while still infected, mind you. No to mention that the drumming is fantastic, whether or not he was sick. Theiry singer has an amazing voice that is easy to take. His voice is great for hard rock vocals, mellow songs, and he has one of the best voices for screaming I have ever heard. They are a post-hardcore band, and yes... lyrics... lyrics, lyrics, lyrics... great as always. So, this is another band I recommend to everybody.
Recommended Tracks: Confessions, Just Like I Remember, Black Skies, and for the softer people: A Smile For Judas